Community Health Worker - Behavioral

Supporting Community Healthcare is a rewarding role. LifeLong Medical Care is looking for a Behavioral Health Community Health Worker at our West Berkeley Family Practice. The Community Health Worker must be able to provide direct care services to a diverse patient population.

This is a full time, benefit eligible position.

This position is represented by SEIU-UHW. Salaries and benefits are set by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and an employee in this position must remain a member in good standing of SEIU-UHW, as defined in the CBA.

LifeLong Medical Care is a multi-site, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with a rich history of providing innovative healthcare and social services to a wonderfully diverse patient community. Our patient-centered health home is a dynamic place to work, practice, and grow. We have over 15 primary care health centers and deliver integrated services including psychosocial, referrals, chronic disease management, dental, health education, home visits, and much, much more. LifeLong Medical Care is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, medical condition, or any other protected classification.

Benefits

Compensation: $21 - $22/hour. We offer excellent benefits including: medical, dental, vision (including dependent and domestic partner coverage), generous leave benefits including ten paid holidays, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) retirement savings plan.

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy

In accordance with LifeLong Medical Care's commitment to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, we have adopted a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Policy to safeguard the health of our employees and their families; our patients and visitors; and the community at large from infectious diseases, that vaccinations may reduce. This policy will comply with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Order of the California State Public Health Officer. Unless a reasonable medical or religious accommodation is approved, all employees must receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

Facilitates and manages patient referrals to therapy and psychiatry. Contacts, screens, triages, and connects patients to both internal and external behavioral health resources. Maintains in-house waitlist if appropriate.
• Maintains mental health provider schedules with a focus on optimizing productivity. Fills provider schedules and manages templates.
• Conducts warm hand offs of patients from medical providers to facilitate integration of care, to connect high risk/high priority patients to behavioral health services, and/or for patients who have a positive screening for unhealthy alcohol use.
• Assists in establishing and maintaining smooth functioning of the site's Behavioral Health Team. Actively participates in behavioral health meetings.
• Supports behavioral health patient panels by making reminder calls, tracking patient attendance, and following up on no-shows to support and improve continuity of treatment.
• Supports behavioral health providers in having patients complete screening questionnaires and other paperwork.
• Tracks patients' progress and alerts providers to need for outreach and for enhanced services.
• Assists in coordinating and support behavioral health patient groups.
• Ensures appropriate consent and parental involvement for pediatric patients in behavioral health (at sites serving pediatric patients).
• Provides basic support to patients in connection to patient portal and video telehealth visits.
• Contacts community agencies and maintains updated resource lists of BH resources in the community.
• Responsible for data collection, entry and generation of reports.
• Participates in special projects under direction of supervisor.

• Strong organizational, administrative and problem-solving skills, and ability to be flexible and adaptive to change while maintaining a positive attitude.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, work under pressure and complete assignment in a timely manner.
• Ability to effectively present information to others, including other employees, community partners and vendors.
• Ability to seek direction/approval from on essential matters, yet work independently with little onsite supervision, using professional judgment and diplomacy.
• Work in a team-oriented environment with a number of professionals with different work styles and support needs.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written skills and ability to effectively work with people from diverse backgrounds and be culturally sensitive.
• Conduct oneself in external settings in a way that reflects positively on LifeLong Medical Care as an organization of professional, confident and sensitive staff.
• Ability to see how one's work intersects with that of other departments of LifeLong Medical Care and that of other partner organizations.
• Make appropriate use of knowledge/ expertise/connections of other staff.
• Be creative and mature with a "can do", proactive attitude and an ability to continuously "scan" the environment, identifying and taking advantage of opportunities for improvement.
• Commitment to working directly with low-income persons from diverse backgrounds, in a helpful, supportive manner.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Health or Human Services field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Administrative experience in health or social service setting.
• Knowledge of East Bay health and social service resources.
• Previous work providing services to persons with mental health disorders, substance use disorders, physical health conditions and/or disabilities, and/or who are experiencing homelessness.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office with ability to manage databases.

Job Preferences

• Experience and sensitivity working with people who are low-income, have histories of trauma, have mental health and/or substance use disorders, and/or who are HIV positive.
• Epic experience.
• Bilingual English/Spanish/Arabic.